Max Headroom said:

That sounds like something out of the Symbolist movement of late 19th century France. Symbolism was concentrated on symbols in art rather than simple paintings which had no meaning other than their face value, such as traditional landscapes and portraits. It was essentially a reaction against Realism. Common Symbolist themes are gothic, myth/fantasy, and the 'femme-fatale' figure. Edgar A. Poe's stories and poems are a reflection of that influence, as an example of someone whom most people are familiar with. You should look up Symbolist paintings on Google. If you liked the one you described I'm sure you'll get a kick out of the paintings from that period.

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